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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1610-1613)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from July 1610 to February 1613, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by David Masson and published under the direction of the Deputy Clerk Register of Scotland in 1889. The publication starts with the Acta and Decreta, a chronological consolidation of material from Acta Secreti Concilii proper, the Decreta, the Book of Commissions, the Book of Sederunts, the Minute Book of Processes, and The Book of the Isles. There is then a section of Royal and Other Letters (pp. 565-644); then acts and bands (bonds) of caution (surety) from the registers called Acta Cautionis (pp. 647-690); and Miscellaneous Privy Council Papers (693-746). Many of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, many of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences.

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Merchants and traders in Aberdeen
(1399-1631)A. M. Munro searched the council registers of the royal burgh of Aberdeen, and compiled this list of burgesses admited to the borough. The entries prior to 1591 were contained in lists engrossed in the council registers at the close of the minutes for the year ending at Michaelmas, but after that date in addition to the annual lists, which are continued, there is almost always a separate minute of admission under the respective dates. The records before 1591 are not only sparser, often with no more than a name, but are also lacking for 1401-1405, 1413-1432, 1434-1435, 1518-1519, 1557 and 1562-1564 - other blanks were filled in from the guildry accounts where such existed. Guild burgesses were allowed unfettered trading rights in Aberdeen; simple burgesses could only deal in Scottish wares (so being barred from the lucrative English and Flemish imports and exports); trade burgesses were limited to their own particular trades; and the council was able ex gratia to create honourary burgesses, who were accorded the full privileges of burgesses of guild and trade, and among whom numbered members of almost every family of note in Aberdeenshire. Burgesses could thus be created by descent, by apprenticeship into a trade, or ex gratia, and in the later portions of this roll the precise circumstances are usually given, sometimes also with the name of a cautioner or surety. Burgesses, masters and cautioners are all indexed here.